Hospital implements screening tool to identify food-insecure patients

The food and nutrition team at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH)  in Tallahassee, Fla., has developed a screening tool to help identify patients who may be food insecure, the Tallahassee Democrat reports. 

Clinicians at the hospital now ask patients to respond to the following two statements:

“Within the past 12 months, I have been worried whether food would run out before I have money to buy more.”

“Within the past 12 months, the food I bought didn’t last and I didn’t have money to get more”

If they answer “True,” “Often” or “Sometimes true” to either or both of the statements, they can receive food assistance resources such as an emergency food kit. The kit contains items that do not require the use of utensils such as a can opener and that do not need to be prepared in a kitchen. It also offers a variety of nonperishable items including granola bars and pop-top canned fruit and proteins such as canned tuna and chicken. 

Foodservices at TMH are managed by Sodexo.